The Trans* Veteran Recognized by the Pentagon

In a short letter dated May 2, a Navy official told Autumn Sandeen, a veteran and transgender activist: “Per your request the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) has been updated to show your gender as female effective April 12, 2013.”

Sandeen’s military identification card now reflects the change, a move called “quite significant” by the head of OutServe-SLDN, a national organization for LGBT service members and veterans and their families.

“The fact that a process exists [to change the gender listed] indicates that there are people in the Department of Defense who are aware of the needs of transgender retirees and who are working to see those needs met. And, in that sense, the significance of this symbolic act for our broader work and for our goal of open service becomes I think a little bit more apparent,” OutServe-SLDN executive director Allyson Robinson told BuzzFeed.

On The Leg

Portugal, one of the most advanced nations in the world when it comes to LGBT rights, took another step forward today with legislation allowing members of same-sex married couples to adopt a spouse’s children.

Parliament approved the measure by a vote of 99-94, with nine abstentions, the Portuguese American Journal reports. It allows one spouse the right to adopt the other’s biological or adopted children. However, another proposal, which would have let same-sex couples adopt jointly, was defeated.

UFC Doesn’t Fuck with Homophobia

Diaz was outraged that fellow fighter Pat Healey was fined for marijuana use and part of the fine was given to another player, Bryan Caraway: “I feel bad for pat Healy that they took a innocent mans money and I think the guy who took the money is the biggest F-g in the world,” Diaz tweeted.

The UFC organization, which previously suspended fighter Matt Mitrone for transphobic remarks, suspended Diaz and issued the following statement: “We are very disappointed by Nate Diaz’s comments, which are in no way reflective of our organization. Nate is currently suspended pending internal investigation, and we will provide further comment once the matter has been decided.”

9 years? America should fall to communism any day now. Or the dolphins will invade. Happy anniversary, and thank you for showing that the only side effect of legalizing gay marriage is gay people getting married and being happier.
Also: that bridge is beautiful. I can’t stop thinking up stories about that cat and what it spent its college years doing.

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